Yesterday, Palm Sunday, marked the beginning of the holiest week in the Christian calendar. As Catholics, this year we will seem to be walking even closer to Christ than usual as a result of the recent developments out of Europe and the media’s attack on the Catholic Church.

Holy Week is time when Catholics worldwide feel the pain of dying in Christ.

It comes this year as media reports bring up heartrending, often previously published, stories with a new twist – how the Vatican handled the cases. Efforts to link stories to culpable inaction by Pope Benedict XVI cause reasonable people anguish given all that the pope has tried to do to address this crisis…

For many, the emphasis of Holy Week is on Good Friday, a day that’s good not because Jesus died a terrible death that day, but because the death led to His subsequent resurrection. It holds deep meaning for Catholics now who seek meaning from the tragedy of pedophilia.

Pedophilia has had terrible effect on many and reminds us of sinful humanity than is around us and within us. It has made a long Good Friday for many, especially those victimized by this sin and crime. But as the church has learned while dealing with these wounds, as it did with the crucifixion of Jesus, the pain can lead to a church purified of sin.

The following is a statement from the Vatican Press Office regarding the recent new of clergy sexual abuses that have come to light over the last few days in Europe.

Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. today issued a note entitled “A clear route through stormy waters”.

At the end of a week in which a large part of the attention of the European media has been focused on the question of sexual abuses committed by people in institutions of the Catholic Church, we would like to make three observations:

Firstly, the line being taken by the German Episcopal Conference has shown itself to be the right way to face the problem i its various aspects. The declarations of the president of that conference, Archbishop Zollitsch, following his meeting with the Holy Father, recap the strategy laid down i the conference’s recent assembly and reiterate its essential operational aspects: recognition of the truth and help for victims reinforcement o preventative measures and constructive collaboration with the authorities (including the judicial authorities of State) for the common good of society. Archbishop Zollitsch also unequivocally reiterated the opinion of experts according to whom the question of celibacy should in no way be confused with that of paedophilia. The Holy Father has encouraged the line being followed by the German bishops which – even taking account of the specific context of their own county – may be considered as a useful andinspiring model for other episcopal conferences that find themselves facing similar problems.